9 TV Dramas for Men That Are Likely to Get Cut

It’s not easy for any TV show – whether new or returning – to avoid the chopping block. As audiences know all too well, cancellations aren’t always predictable. While some series seem doomed right from the start (Battle Creek), others have fans lobbying for them to stay on air after a surprising cancellation (Forever, Hannibal).

This season has already seen more than its fair shares of axed dramas, with everything from crime procedurals to fantasy crime series getting pulled from the lineups of various major networks. Here’s a look at nine dramas for guys that will count this television season as their last.

1. Stalker

Source: CBS

The crime procedural, starring Dylan McDermott and Maggie Q, centers on the Threat Assessment Unit of the L.A.P.D., the people responsible for protecting women from harassment by stalkers. The show received overwhelmingly negative reviews upon its debut, with critics accusing it of being exploitative and hard to watch and calling its storylines “ugly” and “perverted.” The series aired for a 20-episode freshman season, which ended on an unresolved cliffhanger after the network finally canceled it in early May. The final installment aired later that month.

2. Battle Creek

Source: CBS

CBS’s comedy drama starred Josh Duhamel and Dean Winters as a mismatched police detective and FBI agent who are assigned together to solve cases in Battle Creek, Michigan. The freshman season earned mostly positive reviews, but it apparently wasn’t enough to attract viewers to yet another police procedural. In May, after only nine episodes, the network announced that the show would not be returning for a second season. After its cancellation, CBS ran four more episodes of the series, with the final installment airing in late May.

3. The Messengers

Source: The CW

The CW’s supernatural mystery drama follows a group of five people, who find themselves mysteriously connected after a mysterious object plummets to Earth and sends out a shock wave. The series kicked off this spring to mixed reviews from critics and it didn’t fare much better with viewers. After earning low ratings, it was officially canceled after only three episodes. Still, the network continued to air the remainder of the show’s freshman season. The series final installment aired on July 24.

4. The Following

Source: Fox

The Fox drama, starring Kevin Bacon as former FBI Agent Ryan Hardy, ran for three seasons. The show was a breakout hit when it first launched in 2013, finishing the 2012-13 season as the highest rated new broadcast series in the key demo 18-49. But the show couldn’t keep its momentum, seeing a dip in ratings in season two and an even bigger decline in season three. Despite its strong performance in DVR and on demand viewership, the show was officially axed in May. The final episode aired that same month. There was initially talk that the show could get picked up by a digital platform, although nothing has resulted yet.

5. Forever

Source: ABC

The fantasy crime drama stars Ioan Gruffudd as Dr. Henry Morgan, an immortal medical examiner in New York City. Though the series earned mixed critical reviews, early episodes garnered strong ratings, even leading ABC to extend its episode order to a full season. But viewership declined as the show’s freshman season went on and the series was eventually canceled in May, after only one season. The decision caused a huge backlash from fans, who started a social media campaign using the hashtag #SaveForever and also created an online petition to try and keep it from getting axed. As of early July, creator Matt Miller maintained that the show was still being shopped around to other networks, but that Warner Bros. had yet to find a new home for the series.

6. AD: The Bible Continues

Source: NBC

The sequel to the 2013 miniseries, The Bible, began airing on NBC on Easter Sunday. The story takes place immediately after the events of The Bible miniseries, beginning with the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus and then goes on to chronicle the first ten chapters of the Book of Acts. The show earned mixed reviews and was canceled by the network in July, after only one season. Still, producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey reportedly plan to bring future biblical productions to their OTT digital channel.

7. Hannibal

Source: NBC

The psychological thriller-horror series, based on characters from Thomas Harris’s novel Red Dragon, focuses on the friendship between FBI special investigator Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen), a forensic psychiatrist destined to become Graham’s most cunning enemy. The series aired on NBC for three seasons, earning high critical praise for the performances of the lead actors and the visual style of the show. The third season garnered the most positive reviews, with a 97% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite this, the series was canceled in June (to big protest from the series loyal fanbase). In July, it was revealed Amazon and Netflix have both passed on reviving the show, but creator Bryan Fuller is reportedly still shopping the series to other outlets.

8. Constantine

Source: NBC

Based on the comic series Hellblazer, the NBC show kicked off its freshman season last year. The series, starring Matt Ryan as John Constantine, earned relatively positive reviews, with critics praising its “creepy atmosphere, high-stakes action, and splendid special effects.” Despite that, NBC decided against renewing the series for a second season in May.

Despite the cancellation, there’s still a possibility that the show could live on. Apparently, producers of Arrow are trying to get the series moved to the CW. “It’s something we’ve been talking to DC about and it’s just a question of some political things, but also the actor’s schedule,” Arrow‘s executive producer Wendy Mericle told IGN. “We’re trying to work it out, but we don’t know 100 percent if it’s going to happen.”

9. CSI

Source: CBS

The long-running crime show that’s spawned several spin-offs will finally come to a close after its fifteenth season this year. Speculation that the show was coming to an end first started after CBS cut the show’s episode order back in the fall. In May, the network finally confirmed that the show would not return for a sixteenth season. Fans shouldn’t worry too much though – CSI will get a conclusive ending. The show will conclude with a two-hour TV movie, which will reportedly feature the return of original cast members William Petersen and Marg Helgenberger. The finale is scheduled to air on September 27.